Actor Tagawa arrested in domestic abuse

Actor Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa was arrested Wednesday night in the Diamond Head area for misdemeanor abuse of a household member. He was charged and released about an hour later, after posting $1,000 bail.

Tagawa, 57, confirmed that the incident occurred with his girlfriend, but would not comment further due to an ongoing investigation into the matter. He requested privacy until the issue is settled in court.

"There can never be an excuse for it, no matter how major or minor," Tagawa said when asked about domestic violence in general. "It's unacceptable."

Officers responded to a 911 call at about 11:35 p.m. Police said the woman, in her 50s, had visible injuries but did not require an ambulance or hospitalization.

The Hawaii-based Tagawa is completing a successful year in the entertainment business, with the release of the sequel to Disney's popular "Johnny Tsunami," "Balls of Fury" and two episodes of the series "Heroes."

Some of his best-known films include "Memoirs of a Geisha," "Pearl Harbor" and "The Last Emperor." In addition, he has three movies slated for release in 2008. He is scheduled to begin shooting "Slaughter" in Los Angeles after Thanksgiving but must return to Honolulu for a court appearance on Nov. 29.

A martial arts expert, Tagawa studied kendo as a child and karate at the University of Southern California and in Japan, according to the Web site USADojo.com. He says he now favors a style called chuu-shin, which is closer to tai chi or yoga with a staff and does not involve physical fighting.